Brian Clayton
Well-Known Member
Time to start a new project. After shopping around for various incomplete projects and inexpensive colts and the like, I decided to just build my own 2 seater with dual controls. Why a ragwing? For one they are inexpensive and easy to build. All of Roger Mann's designs are pretty much the same for structure, and since I have already built one (rw7 ultralight), I have some experience already with the plans and basic structure. The tail in the plans is identical to my RW7 ultralight, which is handy since I still have the jigs leaned up against the wall. Various engines will work in the 2 seat version, from a rotax 503 to a 65 cont. Plus, it will interesting to see how long this will take and how cheap this can be done. A preliminary guess, I think I will come in under 6,000. We will see. Wood.... I have not decided quite yet what I will use for the structure, but I am leaning toward yellow poplar. Why? Because there is a wood molding mill about 15 minutes from where I work in TN that may have some suitable wood. We will see next week when I pay them a visit. The first thing I bought was a set of plans....50.00. Downloaded from Rogermann.org. After looking them over, I realize I have to build the stretch fuse (for heavier engines) and the 40" wide fuse. No problem. Next, I needed some plywood for the fuse. 2 sheets of 3mm (fuse sides) and a sheet of 6mm (firewall and seat). Shopping around, I found a supplier of Okume ply outside of Atlanta that will save me a bit over A Spruce. Only a hour away, I drove up there yesterday and picked up 3 sheets for 212.00. Found a set of nice looking set of dual rudder pedals with master cylinders on Ebay for 100.00. They are on the way. Missed out on the tailwheel and spring I was bidding on by a dollar at the last minute.....Oh well, something will turn up or I can make one like the plans show. Ordered some t88 from spruce last night, one quart was about 40.00 if I remember right. I have some 1.5 and 3mm ply left over from my ultralight build, so I think I already have enough for the wing rib gussets and the caps for the center section. Got to order a bit of aluminum channel, tubing and bolts for the cabanes and center section..... Have not decided on landing gear yet, thinking about rigid wood/ply legs and some big tires. I had found a new aluminum gear a while back for a ch701 for 300.00 that I wish I would have bought....it would be handy now. Like the tailwheel, something will turn up. I have a 11 or 12 gallon aluminum tank at the shop, with a sender, that I think will fit just fine.
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